Research projects at Almeria

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERISATION OF WATER SOLUBLE RUTHENIUM COMPLEXES

Postdoctoral position, starting
date December 2006

Water soluble Ruthenium complexes have shown potential interst in catalytic
applications such as olefin hydrogenation, metathesis and other C-C bond forming
or bond-breaking reactions. The project will be centred on the study of the
coordination chemistry of water soluble phosphines such as P((CH2)nOH)3
and related compounds, with particular emphasis to X-ray diffraction analysis.
The candidate will be trained in synthetic procedures involving manipulation of
air-sensitive compounds (Schlenk type glassware), different characterisation
techniques and growth of crystals for X-ray analyses.

C-C BOND FORMING REACTIONS IN WATER

Ph.D. position (shared with CNR), starting
date April 2005 FILLED
IN

Olefin metathesis is a catalytic process in which alkenes are transformed into
new products by rupture and reconstruction of carbon-carbon double bonds. The
fundamental features of the process bring it forward in the world scenery of
advanced chemical research, which is addressed to develop selective and clean
processes, in light of the environmental constraints which have become more and
more rigorous.
During last decade, the opportunities to use olefin metathesis in synthetic
organic chemistry have grown enormously, due to the introduction of well defined
and functional-group-tolerant catalysts exemplified by the Grubbs catalyst [RuCl2(=CHPh)(PCy3)2].
Current work in our laboratory is aimed at investigating the catalytic reactions
bringing about alkene metathesis in water as well as exploring the synthetic
scope of highly accessible Ru-based water-soluble unsaturated carbenes. In
this respect, particular attention is being paid to investigate the tolerability
of the process to different polar functional groups.

The project will suit a Ph.D. candidate working 15 months in Almeria (UAL) and
18 months in Florence (CNR) and will involve synthesis (UAL) and testing (CNR)
of new water soluble low valent transition metal vinylidenes and allenylidenes
in homogeneous water phase metathesis reactions and related mechanistic studies.Requirements: basic expertise in coordination chemistry, organometallic
and organic synthesis, NMR spectroscopy. Knowledge of homogeneous catalysis is
not required but welcome. Envisaged partners: CNR